ARBITRATION VS. LITIGATION. 123 



soon, by means of the accurate information which the Granges 

 furnish at home, and the facilities of corresponding agencies 

 abroad, to lay before our members, each month, a compre 

 hensive digest of the condition of the markets and the prospects 

 of the crops throughout the world, which will guide them both 

 in their planting and their sales. 



One of the best features of the organization of the Patrons of 

 Husbandry is the settlement &amp;lt;/f differences, whether pecuniary 

 or otherwise, between members, by arbitration. Instead of 

 going to law, and feeing lawyers, officers and courts, and 

 spending time and money to secure some legal or technical ad 

 vantage of a neighbor, by the plan introduced in the Granges 

 all these little questions of dispute are now settled in an equit 

 able and generally in an amicable manner by reference to com 

 mittees or arbitrators consisting of mutual friends. It is true 

 that this plan deprives the lawyers, officers and courts of a 

 great deal of business, and, consequently, of a great deal of 

 money; but, while they are the losers in a pecuniary way, the 

 farmers are the gainers, not only in a pecuniary sense, but in 

 many other ways. Friendship between individuals is thus pro 

 moted and maintained; neighborhood difficulties are avoided, 

 and the whole community of farmers are greatly the gainers; 

 while outsiders are none the wiser. This is certainly a very 

 commendable and valuable feature of the Order. 



Upon such articles as tea, sugar, coffee, kerosene, etc., the 

 average saving has been from five to fifteen per cent. ; clothing 

 from ten to twenty per cent. ; machines and implements from 

 thirty -five to forty per cent. This work is mostly done through 

 the State agencies; that of Indiana exceeded two hundred and 

 fifty thousand dollars last year. The New York Evening Post 

 sums up the general benefits of the Grangers organization^ as 

 follows: 



The railroads have been taught that there is a higher power, 

 viz: public opinion, which they cannot wantonly defy. A body of 

 reg dialing laws has been collected and tested (in Wisconsin), which 

 will serve as a guide and foundation for all future and more final 

 and just legislation. 



The agriculturists have partially atvaked to the fact that the chief 

 cause of their troubles is &quot; protection;&quot; that they are systematically 

 and legally plundered for the sake of the Eastern manufacturer; 

 that cheap transportation, by means of road-bed, rails and rolling- 

 stock, swollen in cost by a high tariff, is an impossible thing. The 



